Randolph critical of timing of his dismissal
‘Not the way I would have handled it,’ says ousted Mets manager
 Kathy Willens / AP Willie Randolph, recently fired as Mets manager, says he would like to manage again. |
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NEW YORK - Willie Randolph figured the New York Mets would fire someone. He just didn’t think general manager Omar Minaya would pick him.
“I thought he was talking about whacking a couple of my coaches,” the ex-manager told several New York-area newspapers Wednesday outside his home in Franklin Lakes, N.J.
“That’s why I was stunned. I didn’t think it was going to happen,” Randolph said. “At the time, I felt the way he was talking to me, that I was pretty secure for the time being.”
Minaya fired Randolph, pitching coach Rick Peterson and first base coach Tom Nieto after Monday night’s win over the Los Angeles Angels.
On Sunday, as the Mets split a doubleheader at Shea Stadium with the Texas Rangers, Randolph told the New York Times that he asked Minaya to pull the trigger, if that’s what Minaya had in mind, and not have Randolph travel all the way across the country to Anaheim.
“I actually asked him," Randolph told The Times. "I said, ‘Omar, do this now. If you’re going to do this, do this now. I know you’ve got a lot of pressure on you, but if I’m not the guy to lead this team then don’t let me get on this plane.’ I did say that to him.”
The Mets traveled to the West Coast to start the series in Anaheim, Calif. The firings were announced in an e-mail at 12:14 a.m. PDT Tuesday.
“Not the way I would have handled it,” he said. “Bottom line, it is what it is.”
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Randolph said he watched some of the Mets’ 6-1 loss to the Angels on Tuesday night. Bench coach Jerry Manuel was promoted to run the team the rest of the season.
Randolph was dismissed with the Mets struggling below .500.
“I felt all along this team would play better and we would eventually get into the season and really do well. In my mind, this all happened way, way too early,” he said.
Randolph was set to be an NL coach next month in the All-Star game at Yankee Stadium — where he played and coached for long periods — and said he still hoped to take part.
At 53, Randolph also would like to manage again.
“I’m not ready to retire,” he said. “Once you get a taste of managing, it’s kind of cool.”
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